FORTHERECORD

Four local residents overnight reported buying worthless memberships to Vi-De-Yo's, 1410 Kasold, a store that went out of business about two weeks ago. Police believe the local residents made the reports after reading a Journal-World story Wednesday in which the local Consumer Affairs Assn. office said it had been contacted by nine people who bought the worthless memberships from one or more people selling them door-to-door in western Lawrence. The co-owners of the store said they have been unable to contact Video Advertising, a Topeka-based company that had been selling the memberships, to tell the company that the store is out of business. Police are advising anyone who has purchased a membership or is approached by someone selling memberships to call officers.

District court

Criminal case proceedings

Michael T. Bittle, 23, Shawnee Mission, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a misdemeanor count of conspiring to commit criminal damage to property stemming from an incident in October in which someone spray-painted the letters "KKK" on a building in East Lawrence. A Feb. 5 hearing was scheduled during which a trial may be set, a diversion agreement may be filed or Bittle could change his plea.

Lisa Lathrom, 21, 418 Mich., Tuesday was sentenced to one to five years imprisonment, but then was granted a five-year probation term on a felony count of theft. She was charged May 1 with the theft charge and a felony count of burglary after she allegedly entered an apartment in the 1400 block of West Seventh and took stereo equipment and perfume. She pleaded guilty Nov. 27 to the theft charge.